Tips For Hooked Pumpkin

Thought I would repost these tips in my main blog in case some of my rug hooking friends are only a part of my Befruitful Blog. 

While hooking this special order pumpkin I realized that I wanted to share a few tips on the process of making the pumpkin. 

Since you must hook snug and close together it is easier to use a smaller hook. I was using my primitive hook and it was a real work out to use it for this project. I pulled out my first hook a simple hook with a sponge covered handle. It was so much easier to hook close with this.

When assembling the pumpkin I find this needle a must. 

Here is a link for, one place you can find, these Jumbo darning needles. I have found the metal ones are a must as I break the plastic ones. Clover also makes a case for these to go in which I use to store mine.

Click here for a link to the Jumbo darning needle. 

 The larger the thickness of the stick stem the easier it will be to close the monks cloth around it. 

 If you can find the colored monks cloth I would suggest using brown or rust for these pumpkins. 

Click here for a sight that has photos of the color options available  

If you have a photo of a pumpkin you have made from my pattern and want me to share it here in my blog add a commit saying so and we will work out how you can get me a photo.

Custom Order Pumpkin

Thank you Tim for the opportunity to make your pumpkin for you.
For those who are unfamiliar with rug hooking. This pumpkin was hand hooked with a special kind of hook using wool strips of fabric. This is a large dimensional rug hooked pumpkin.

Scissor Case

Scissor Case

This is a great look. I love it. I think I need to make one for my curved scissors I use to cut snippets off of my rug hooked projects.

Rachael Ann & Spunky

This is a custom order doll set that I made for Marti. Thank you for the opportunity to make this doll set for you Marti. 

South Again

Well we had hoped to stay in Colorado this year but this is not going to happen. We will again be heading south. We are thankful that we have this beautiful fifth wheel to live in as we upgraded last year to a 2011 Big Country by Heartland. We know that God has a plan for us and we look forward to seeing His plan unfold before us. I am working on a special order doll right now and then will create a dimensional rug hooked pumpkin for another customer. I just ordered a K's kreations sit upon stand and an ball and socket adaptor for my Snapdragon rug hooking frame, so there will be some more rug hooking in my future. There is a waiting list for the Snapdragon adapter kit so not sure when I will get this. I am trying to decide what to bring south with me as far as my art supplies. Need to narrow it down. If you have been a follower of my artwork you know I like variety. I create soft sculpture dolls and things, needle punch creations, and rug hooking. I like dimensional rug hooking and needle punch. I would like to make another Windy Santa. I had so much fun with the creating of the Rug hooked Santa sculpture. I hope that God will give us a gate that I can have time to create art work and some patterns that I have had on my mind to do. Maybe I should take the night shift as I might get more creating done that way. For those who follow my blog I am sorry I have been kind of missing in action. I spent a lot of this summer trying to find a house for us to purchase. But that was not to come to reality this year. It is challenging having this one year old puppy. Skyler is a handful. She is a greyhound doberman mix or so we think. We decided to call her a Halloween puppy as we have to guess at her age. She has a lot more training to do. I hope I am up to this challenge. Skyler adopted us while we were in Texas last year. She showed up under our fifth wheel one night and we were unable to locate her owner. A fenced yard would have been better as she is a hunter and will take off when she is not on a leash. So I have to take her for two long walks a day. This just gets some of her energy out. It will be a challenge to do a gate guard job with her. But God put Skyler in our lives for a reason and heading south is His idea as the door did not open here in Colorado. So I know He will show us the way to do all.

Dimensional Rug Hooked Hooking Pumpkin Pattern

This is an awesome rug hooking pattern for you to make this huge 3 dimension pumpkin. The finished pumpkin will be about 27" around the whole pumpkin or about 9" across. This unique pumpkin is about 12" tall with the stem and without the stem part 6". The dimensions vary some depending on the assembling process which is fully described for you with photos included. This is for the pattern instruction packet only. Does not include linen or monks cloth. What an awesome accent piece, you can create, for any time of year. 

This Rug Hooked Pumpkin pattern can be purchased from my website you will find the link in the right margin. Or you can purchase from Etsy or Patternmart these links are also in the right margin at the top. 

 

Pondering

After being on the road traveling and working for the last ten years we are seriously considering moving back to colorado this fall. We are actually looking at houses to purchase.
Today found me really excited about artwork again. I have not had a desire all summer. So look back I might actually create something new soon. The thought of actually having a place to set up my sewing room and art supplies thrills me.

Home at Last

Last week we made it back to Westcliffe. It is so good to be back home for our spring and summer. It has taken us a little while to get used to the colder temps around here. We also have a new addition to the family. A dog adopted us while we were in Texas. After searching many avenues to locate her family, with no luck what so ever, we decided to bring her home with us.  This week we will take Skylar to the vet for shots and maybe find out for sure what mix of dogs she is.  We think she has doberman and greyhound in her. She is maybe 7 months old and a bundle of energy. We have a lot of training to do with her but she seems to be a quick learner. Stubborn at times but most children are. She is very interested in the deer but we are trying to teach her they are friends. Right now I am just enjoying some much needed R&R and taking long walks with Skylar. Doing some reading and enjoying time with God. I have so much enjoyed getting back to my quiet times with God. He is the greatest counselor and what He teaches me is so relevant to life. I again say it is great to be back home in our little ranch called Fawn Hallow.

Summer Vacation

It is almost that time. It has been a long 7 months with no break or time off. But next week we start our summer vacation. A well deserved break. 

This sweet pup showed up under our fifth wheel April 2 2012. She is maybe 7 months old. She was found north of Three Rivers Texas. We have not been able to find her family. But I am still looking.

Texas & God

The beautiful Texas spring green colors have displayed themselves all around us. We have been very blessed to have a gorgeous tree covered location this winter and it has been a permanent one. This is also a blessing. It has been long hours and we will have worked 7 months straight when we leave next month. Seven days a week 24 hours. So when I say straight I mean no time off. 

As far as Befruitful Kreations goes will have to wait and see what happens when we get home to Colorado. 

I would really like to complete the patterns I promised to several customers. Several Needle Punch Witches Boots and a Jack O Lantern pattern. 

I am so happy to tell you that my relationship with God has taken an awesome turn during this time. As we have had lots of time to reflect on life. Daily quiet times and great counsel from an Awesome God have transformed this lady. It had been a dry desert land for a while. But it is green again. My mom made me memorizes Psalm 23 when I was little. This Psalm has meant much to me in my years with the Lord. I memorized this in KJV so that is the version I want share with you in closing. Until next time may God hold you close.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Texas

This winter has found us once again working down in Texas. In a few months we will be heading back to Colorado for the summer. It has been a long winter but so thankful for the job. This year we have been able to stay put and not travel around a blessing in many ways. This has kept us in constant work but no breaks at all. So seven days a week and we each work a 12 hour shift. Believe me this is harder then it would seem. We will have worked seven months straight by the time we are choosing to leave. We hope to leave some time in April.

This has pretty much drained my creativity right out of me. I have not made anything. I have done a little cross stitching which I remember why I didn't do this. That project sits unfinished and unworked on since before Christmas. Wonder if it will ever get finished. Guess I better stick with the things I love to do. Rug hooking, doll making, and needle punch. The constant having to put what every you are working on aside to go out side makes it hard. Especially to do counted cross stitch. You come back and say now where was I. Uggghhhhhh!!!!!!!

A lot  of my creative effort, last year, went into the making of my parents 60th anniversary family tree quilt which my sister and my made. This was given to them at Christmas time. I wish I could have been there but as I stated we have been here for five months straight.

Back to Texas. Many birds are here in our little neck of the woods in Texas. Cardinals, Acorn Woodpeckers, kingbirds, the fly catchers are back, finches, Mexican Eagles, vultures and many many more. We are close to the Atascosa river and that is the reason for our work here. The big trucks need to come through our gate to get back to the land behind us. This river has alligators in it.  Didn't know this at first. The truck drivers have told us they have seen them. There are rattle snake but we have not seen any. Hope they continue to stay away from here. It is about time for them to come out again. Several deer are in the area. I saw my first armadillo. That was awesome. We have a shade tree and a forest is just behind us do to the river I mentioned.
So we could not ask for a better place to live while working.

I hope that maybe my creativity will come back this summer but for the most part I think I will play!!!!

Until next time.